Expanding or Contracting Fishing Lure

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates in general to fishing lures, and more specifically, to an expanding or contracting fishing lure that provides a natural movement that mimics live bait. The fishing lure is configured so that when the fishing lure is retrieved (e.g., reeled in) or jigged by an angler, or the fishing line is pulled or twitched, the fishing lure transitions from a first position to a second position and then returns to the first position. The purpose of the invention is to provide a fishing lure that will successfully attract fish by displaying a unique action in the water.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/814,803 filed Jul. 31, 2015, which is a Continuation-in-Part of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 13/830,394 filed Mar. 14, 2013, hereinincorporated by reference in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates in general to fishing lures, and morespecifically, to an expanding or contracting fishing lure that providesa natural movement that mimics live bait. The purpose of the inventionis to provide a fishing lure that will better attract fish by displayinga noticeable and unique action in the water.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A fishing lure is an artificial object tied onto the end of a fishingline and used to attract fish. Used in conjunction with a fishing rodand fishing reel, a skilled angler casts and retrieves the fishing lureto mimic a swimming, waddling, dropping, pulsing, twitching, fizzing orpopping action to imitate prey as it moves through the water. An anglermay also utilize a jigging action wherein the fishing lure is droppedinto the water and vertically moved, or jigged, up and down via theattached fishing line. The fishing lure is designed to resemble the preyof a particular type of fish: earthworms, caterpillars, grubs, frogs,crawfish, minnows, lizards, and insects. The color, appearance,vibration, and movement of the fishing lure as it travels through thewater attract the attention of fish, inciting fish to bite the lure.Fishing lures are further equipped with a single, double, treble or quadhook(s) of various sizes, shapes, and spacing. The hooks become embeddedin the fish after the fishing lure has been bitten or swallowed by thefish.

Historically, fish hooks were carved by ancient man out of bone ormolded out of bronze. The Greek and Roman civilizations advocatedfishing for sport, creating fly-fishing lures of feathers, bronze,horsehair, and wild boar bristles. In the United States during the early1800s, fishing lures were made by individual craftsmen whittling wood orpounding metal into a shape that resembled live bait. However, theunnatural movement of these lures as they traveled through the waterleft much to be improved upon. Manufacturing of fishing lures began toslowly evolve from individual craftsmen to commercial ventures duringthe late 1800s to early 1900s. More recently, the development of softplastic compositions and injection molding techniques have producedfishing lures that more closely resemble live bait. Soft plastic baitsencompass a variety of different lures, such as soft swimbaits withsquare or paddletails, stickbaits and worms, and creature baits.Generally, soft plastic baits comprise a solid, flexible plastic tube.Tentacles, fins, legs, claws, antennas, tails, and other types ofappendages may be incorporated into the design to resemble particulartypes of fish prey. A hook is typically pierced through the lure, afterwhich an angler casts and retrieves the lure utilizing various motionsin an attempt to imitate live bait swimming through the water. Whilesuch a lure has its own advantages, a significant disadvantage remainsas the solid, plastic tube does not independently move while it is drawnthrough the water as compared to live bait.

Thus, a desire remains to further develop soft plastic baits thatincorporate unique natural movements while offering a concealed positionfor the hook(s) to attract fish and make it easier to set the lure in afish's mouth.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, it is a principal object, feature, and/or advantage of thepresent invention to overcome the aforementioned deficiencies in the artand provide a fishing lure that incorporates unique natural movements tomore closely resemble live bait.

A further object, feature, and/or advantage of the present invention isto provide a life-like fishing lure that significantly expands and/orcontracts in overall length to attract the attention of fish.

Another object, feature, and/or advantage of the present invention is toprovide a fishing lure that simulates the muscular contraction and/orexpansion of creatures that crawl and swim in the water.

Yet another object, feature, and/or advantage of the present inventionis to provide a fishing lure that offers a concealed position for asingle, double, treble or quad hook(s).

A still further object, feature, and/or advantage of the presentinvention is to provide a fishing lure that may act as a weedless lure.

Another object, feature, and/or advantage of the present invention is toprovide a fishing lure with multiple-attractive aspects (e.g., color,light, turbulence in the water, scent, undulation, vibration) whenpulled through the water.

Another object, feature, and/or advantage of the present invention is toprovide a fishing lure that easily attaches to a fishing line.

A further object, feature, and/or advantage of the present invention isto provide a fishing lure that is easy to manufacture and easy to use.

Another object, feature, and/or advantage of the present invention is toprovide a fishing lure that may be used as a topwater lure, a midwaterlure, and/or a bottom lure.

A still further object, feature, and/or advantage of the presentinvention is to provide a fishing lure that may be used when casting,trolling, and/or jigging.

A still further object, feature, and/or advantage of the presentinvention is to provide a method of catching fish using a fishing lurethat provides natural movement to mimic live bait.

These and/or other objects, features, and/or advantages of the presentinvention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The presentinvention is not to be limited to or by these objects, features, andadvantages. No single aspect need provide each and every object,feature, or advantage.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a contracting fishinglure is formed having a head portion, a body portion, and a tailportion. A channel extends longitudinally through the lure, configuredfor water to flow through the lure by passing through the body portionand exiting through the tail portion. The body portion may be comprisedof elastic material and have a series of flexible ridges and valleysextending around the body portion. The fishing lure is configured suchthat a fishing line may be drawn through an opening in the head portion,extend through the channel of the body portion, continue beyond the tailportion, and attach to a fishing hook. The fishing lure is furtherconfigured such that when the fishing lure is retrieved (e.g., reeledin) or jigged by an angler, or the fishing line is pulled or twitched,the fishing lure significantly and noticeably contracts in overalllength by the series of flexible ridges and valleys to mimic the naturalmovement of live bait to attract fish, resembling an accordion motion.In a variation of this aspect of the invention, the body portion mayhave a series of longitudinal cuts. The longitudinal cuts may extendalong a portion of the length of the body portion, thus forming aplurality of longitudinal strips. The plurality of longitudinal stripsmay extend outwards as the fishing lure is drawn through water, whereinthe fishing lure significantly contracts in overall length to mimic thenatural movement of live bait to better attract fish while the fishinglure is retrieved or jigged by an angler.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a contractingfishing lure is formed having a head portion, a body portion, and a tailportion. A channel extends longitudinally through the lure, configuredfor water to flow through the lure by passing through the head portion,the body portion, and exiting through the tail portion. The head portionmay be cup-shaped, bowl-shaped, or flat-shaped. The head portion mayalso be larger in diameter than the body portion, the same diameter asthe body portion, or smaller in diameter than the body portion. The headportion is adjacent the body portion, wherein the head portion comprisesan opening aligned with the channel. The body portion may be comprisedof elastic material and have a series of flexible ridges and valleysextending around the body portion. The fishing lure is configured suchthat a fishing line may be drawn through the opening in the headportion, extend through the channel of the body portion, continue beyondthe tail portion, and attach to a fishing hook. The fishing lure isconfigured such that when the lure is retrieved (e.g., reeled in) orjigged by an angler, or the fishing line is pulled or twitched, thefishing lure significantly and noticeably contracts in overall length bythe series of flexible ridges and valleys to mimic the natural movementof live bait to attract fish, resembling an accordion motion. Thecontraction is magnified by the increased resistance exerted by the cup,bowl, or flat-shaped head portion against the water as the fishing lureis retrieved or jigged by an angler.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, an expandingfishing lure is formed having a head portion, a body portion, a tailportion, a stop, a swivel, a first fishing line, and a second fishingline. A channel extends longitudinally through the lure, configured forwater to flow through the lure by passing through the body portion andexiting through the tail portion. The head portion is adjacent the bodyportion, wherein the head portion comprises the stop and an openingaligned with the channel. The body portion may be comprised of elasticmaterial and have a series of flexible ridges and valleys extendingaround the body portion. The tail portion may be cup-shaped,bowl-shaped, or flat-shaped. The tail portion may also be larger indiameter than the body portion, the same diameter as the body portion,or smaller in diameter than the body portion. The fishing lure isconfigured such that the first fishing line may be attached to one endof the swivel, ring, or other attachment device and the second fishingline attached to an opposite end of the swivel, ring, or otherattachment device. The stop prevents the swivel, ring, or otherattachment device from being pulled completely through the opening inthe head portion as an angler is casting and/or retrieving the expandingfishing lure. The second fishing line is drawn through the channel ofthe body portion, continued beyond the tail portion, wherein it isattached to a fishing hook. It would be typical for the hook to beburied in the body with extra line inside the body to allow expansion ofthe lure when pulled. The fishing lure is configured such that when thelure is retrieved (e.g., reeled in) or jigged by an angler, or thefishing line is pulled or twitched, the fishing lure significantly andnoticeably expands in overall length by the series of flexible ridgesand valleys to mimic the natural movement of live bait to attract fish,resembling an accordion motion.

According to a further aspect of the present invention a method offishing using a fishing lure is provided. The method includes providinga fishing rod and reel with a fishing line. The method further includesproviding an expanding or contracting fishing lure and a stringing tool.The method additionally includes attaching the fishing lure to thefishing line using the stringing tool and concealing a fishing hook in atail portion of the fishing lure. The method further includes castingand retrieving the fishing lure in a manner so that the fishing lureexpands or contracts to mimic the natural movement of live bait toattract fish.

Different aspects may meet different objects of the invention. Otherobjectives and advantages of this invention will be more apparent in thefollowing detailed description taken in conjunction with the figures.The present invention is not to be limited by or to these objects oraspects.

DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

FIGS. 1-6 represent examples of contracting fishing lures of the presentinvention, and a method of fishing utilizing the present invention.

FIG. 1 is an exploded assembly view of a contracting fishing lure of thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a non-contracted view of the fishing lure of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a contracted view of the fishing lure of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an exploded assembly view of a contracting fishing lure of thepresent invention.

FIG. 5 is a non-contracted view of the fishing lure of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a contracted view of the fishing lure of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is top-side view of a contracting fishing lure of the presentinvention.

FIG. 8 is a non-contracted view of the fishing lure of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a contracted view of the fishing lure of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a non-expanded view of an expanding fishing lure of thepresent invention.

FIG. 11 is a view of a portion of an expanding fishing lure of thepresent invention that may be used for topwater fishing.

FIG. 12 is a view of a portion of an expanding fishing lure of thepresent invention that may be used for midwater or bottom fishing.

FIG. 13 is an expanded view of the fishing lure of FIG. 9.

FIG. 14 is a view of a stringing tool.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates an exploded assembly view of one aspect of acontracting fishing lure (10) of the present invention. The contractingfishing lure (10) has a head portion (12), a body portion (14), and atail portion (16). The head portion (12) may comprise a sinker, aweight, or a light-weight material that floats (e.g., plastic, wood,etc.). The head portion (12) may be rounded in shape, flat, tapered to apoint, bullet-shaped, and/or resemble a particular fish prey. The headportion (12) may further comprise a spinner, a bill, a lip, and/or abib. The head portion (12) includes an opening (26) extending throughthe head portion (12). The head portion (12) may reside adjacent thebody portion (14), wherein the head portion (12) and body portion (14)may be separate, integral, or the head portion (12) removed. Moreover,the head portion (12) may move independently from the body portion (14).

As further shown in FIG. 1, the body portion (14) has a first open end(18) and an opposite second open end (20) exiting into the adjacent tailportion (16). A channel (22) extends longitudinally through the bodyportion (14) from the first open end (18) to the second open end (20).The channel (22) is configured for water to flow into the first open end(18), through the body portion (14), and exit the second open end (20)into the tail portion (16). The body portion (14) may be a continuoushollow tube, wherein the tubular design is not limited to a circlediameter but may comprise diametrical shapes such as a square, oval,pentagon, octagon, or others. The body portion (14) may be comprised ofelastic material and may have a series of flexible ridges (24) andvalleys (32) extending around the body portion (14), resembling anaccordion and/or caterpillar.

The tail portion (16) may be in the form of tentacles, a sickle, aplurality of segments, a fin or a plurality of fins, a plurality ofelongated streamers forming a skirt, a plurality of legs, a plurality ofclaws, a plurality of antennas, a tail, any combination of theforegoing, and/or other types of appendages that resemble fish preycommonly used in the industry.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, a fishing line (28) is drawn through theopening (26) in the head portion (12), through the first open end (18)of the body portion (14), further through the channel (22) of the bodyportion (14), continued through the second open end (20), and extendedbeyond the tail portion (16) where it is attached to a fishing hook (30)via a means of attachment (17) (e.g., by a fishing knot, ring, snap, orother means of attaching a fishing hook commonly used in the fishingindustry). The fishing hook (30) may be a single, double, treble or quadhook(s). As illustrated in FIG. 2, the fishing hook (30) may extendoutside a diameter of the body portion (14). Alternatively, the fishinghook (30) may be concealed by the tail portion (16) so that the fishinglure (10) appears more life-like. The contracting fishing lure (10) mayalso act as a weedless lure by embedding barbs of the fishing hook (30)into the body portion (14) and/or concealing the hook in the tailportion. The fishing hook (30) may also be weighted to assist invertical jigging. A person skilled in the art will recognize thatvarious sizes of body portions, weights, and hooks may be fabricated andutilized for different types and sizes of fish.

The first open end (18) of the body portion (14) may be smaller indiameter than the second open end (20). The head portion (12) may bepartially or fully inserted into the first open end (18) of the bodyportion (14) so that the head portion (12) and the body portion (14) areintegral and do not separate when the fishing lure (10) is cast andretrieved, or jigged. The smaller diameter of the first open end (18) ofthe body portion (14) allows it to fit tightly around the head portion(12) for a secure fit and seal. The head portion (12) may furthercomprise a groove (38) extending around the head portion (12) to assistin securing and sealing the first open end (18) of the body portion (14)around the head portion (12). Alternatively, the fishing lure (10) ofthe present invention may be used as a topwater lure by removing thehead portion (12) or using a head portion (12) comprised of light-weightmaterial that floats (e.g., plastic, wood, etc.).

The contracting fishing lure (10) is configured so that when it is castand retrieved (e.g., reeled in) by an angler, the head portion (12)leads and water flows through the channel (22) of the body portion (14)in a direction opposite to the direction in which the fishing (10) luretravels through the water. While lying in the water and the fishing line(28) is slack, the fishing lure (10) assumes a non-contracted firstposition as depicted in FIG. 2. While moving through the water aftertension or force has been placed on the fishing line (28) (e.g., thefishing lure (10) is reeled in by the angler, or the fishing line (28)is pulled, twitched, jerked, or yanked), the fishing lure (10)transitions to a contracted second position where the series of flexibleridges (24) and valleys (32) contract or squeeze together, asillustrated in FIG. 3. When the fishing line (28) becomes slack onceagain, the fishing lure (10) returns to the non-contracted firstposition as depicted in FIG. 2, thus, mimicking the natural movement oflive bait to attract fish. Because the fishing lure (10) fills withwater as it enters the water, water rushes in and out of the fishinglure (10) via the transition from the non-contracted first position tothe contracted second position and back to the non-contracted firstposition. The contracting fishing lure (10) attracts fish bytransitioning from the non-contracted first position to the contractedsecond position before a fish bites or strikes the contracting fishinglure (10), although the fish may bite or strike the contracting fishinglure (10) at any time. The fishing lure (40) of the present inventionmay also be retrieved in a “walk the dog” fashion which would cause adarting side-to-side action.

There is a significant difference in overall length of the contractingfishing lure (10) between the non-contracted first position (FIG. 2) andthe contracted second position (FIG. 3) to better attract fish. Forinstance, the overall length of the contracting fishing lure (10) in thenon-contracted first position may decrease 25-75% as it transitions tothe contracted second position. Thus, the overall length of thecontracting fishing lure (10) in the contracted second position may be25-75% less than the overall length of the contracting fishing lure (10)in the non-contracted first position. This significant difference inoverall length of the contracting fishing lure (10) between thenon-contracted first position and the contracted second position maycause the flexible ridges (24) to touch and the valleys (32) todisappear. A further example of this significant difference in overalllength may be demonstrated by the location of the means of attachment(17) for the fishing line (28) to the fishing hook (30). As illustratedin FIG. 2, the means for attachment (17) is located towards the tail endof body portion (14) while the contracting fishing lure (10) is in thenon-contracted first position. However, as illustrated in FIG. 3, themeans for attachment (17) extends further into and towards the middle ofbody portion (14) while the contracting fishing lure (10) is in thecontracted second position. This notable location change for the meansof attachment (17) further demonstrates the significant difference inoverall length of the fishing lure (10) between the non-contracted firstposition and the contracted second position. The series of flexibleridges (24) and valleys (32) are important to the design of thecontracting fishing lure (10) of the present invention by creating anaccordion-like movement that maximizes the size of contraction andcauses the contracting fishing lure (10) to significantly decrease inoverall length to better attract fish.

FIGS. 4-6 illustrate a variation of this aspect of the presentinvention. As shown in FIG. 4, body portion (14) may have a series oflongitudinal cuts (34). The longitudinal cuts (34) may extend along aportion of the length of the body portion (14), thus forming a pluralityof longitudinal strips (36). After tension or force has been placed onthe fishing line (28) by an angler, the contracting fishing lure (10)transitions from a non-contracted first position (FIG. 5) to acontracted second position (FIG. 6) where the plurality of longitudinalstrips (36) extend outwards and the overall length of the contractingfishing lure (10) shortens significantly. When the fishing line (28)becomes slack once again, the contracting fishing lure (10) returns tothe non-contracted first position (FIG. 5), thus, mimicking life-likemovements to attract fish. Alternatively, the body portion (14) may havea series of cuts extending partially around a diameter of the bodyportion (14), allowing the body portion (14) to easily collapse from thenon-contracted first position (FIG. 5) to the contracted second position(FIG. 6).

FIG. 7 illustrates a non-contracted view of another aspect of acontracting fishing lure (10) of the present invention. The contractingfishing lure (10) has a head portion (12), a body portion (14), and atail portion (16). The head portion (12) may be cup-shaped, bowl-shaped,or flat-shaped. A diameter of the head portion (12) may be up to tentimes larger than a diameter of the body portion (14) to increase waterresistance as the fishing lure is drawn through water. The head portion(12) may also be the same diameter as the body portion (14) or smallerin diameter than the body portion (14). The head portion (12) may bestrengthened to include a plurality of reinforcing ribs, thick walls,and/or rigid or semi-rigid materials (15). The head portion (12)includes an opening (26) extending through the head portion (12). Thehead portion (12) may reside adjacent the body portion (14), wherein thehead portion (12) and the body portion (14) may be separate or integral.Moreover, the head portion (12) may move independently from the bodyportion (14).

As further shown in FIG. 8, the body portion (14) has a first open end(18) and an opposite second open end (20) exiting into the adjacent tailportion (16). The opening (26) in the head portion (12) may be alignedwith the first open end (18) of the body portion (14). The opening (26)in the head portion (12) may be smaller in diameter than the first openend (18) of the body portion (14) to center a fishing line (28) insidethe body portion (14). A channel (22) extends longitudinally through thetubular body portion (14) from the first open end (18) to the secondopen end (20). The channel (22) is configured for water to flow into theopening (26) in the head portion (12), through the first open end (18)of the body portion (14), continue through the tubular body portion(14), and exit the second open end (20) into the tail portion (16). Thebody portion (14) may be a continuous hollow tube, wherein the tubulardesign is not limited to a circle diameter but may comprise diametricalshapes such as a square, oval, pentagon, octagon, or others. The bodyportion (14) may be comprised of elastic material and may have a seriesof flexible ridges (24) and valleys (32) extending around the bodyportion (14), resembling an accordion and/or caterpillar.

The tail portion (16) may be in the form of tentacles, a sickle, aplurality of segments, a fin or a plurality of fins, a plurality ofelongated streamers forming a skirt, a plurality of legs, a plurality ofclaws, a plurality of antennas, a tail, any combination of theforegoing, and/or other types of appendages that resemble fish preycommonly used in the industry.

Illustrated in FIG. 8, the fishing line (28) is drawn through theopening (26) in the head portion (12), through the first open end (18)of the body portion (14), further through the channel (22) of the bodyportion (14), continued through the second open end (20), and extendedbeyond the tail portion (16) where it is attached to a fishing hook (30)via a means of attachment (17) (e.g., by a fishing knot, ring, snap, orother means of attaching a fishing hook commonly used in the fishingindustry). The fishing hook (30) may be a single, double, treble or quadhook(s). The fishing hook (30) may extend outside a diameter of the bodyportion (14). Alternatively, the fishing hook (30) may be concealed bythe tail portion (16) so that the fishing lure (10) appears morelife-like. The contracting fishing lure (10) may also act as a weedlesslure by embedding barbs of the fishing hook (30) into the body portion(14). The fishing hook (30) may also be weighted to assist in verticaljigging. A person skilled in the art will recognize that various sizesof body portions, weights, and hooks may be fabricated and utilized fordifferent types and sizes of fish.

Looking at FIGS. 8 and 9, the contracting fishing lure (10) isconfigured so that when it is cast and retrieved (e.g., reeled in) by anangler, the head portion (12) leads and water flows through the channel(22) of the body portion (14) in a direction opposite to the directionin which the fishing (10) lure travels through the water. While lying inthe water and the fishing line (28) is slack, the fishing lure (10)assumes a non-contracted first position as depicted in FIG. 8. Whilemoving through the water after tension or force has been placed on thefishing line (28) (e.g., the fishing lure (10) is reeled in by theangler, or the fishing line (28) is pulled, twitched, jerked, oryanked), the fishing lure (10) transitions to a contracted secondposition where the series of flexible ridges (24) and valleys (32)contract or squeeze together, as illustrated in FIG. 9. When the fishingline (28) becomes slack once again, the fishing lure (10) returns to thenon-contracted first position as depicted in FIG. 8, thus, mimicking thenatural movement of live bait to attract fish. Because the fishing lure(10) fills with water as it enters the water, water rushes in and out ofthe fishing lure (10) via the transition from the non-contracted firstposition to the contracted second position and back to thenon-contracted first position. The contracting fishing lure (10)attracts fish by transitioning from the non-contracted first position tothe contracted second position before a fish bites or strikes thecontracting fishing lure (10), although the fish may bite or strike thecontracting fishing lure (10) at any time. The fishing lure (40) of thepresent invention may also be retrieved in a “walk the dog” fashionwhich would cause a darting side-to-side action.

There is a significant difference in overall length of the contractingfishing lure (10) between the non-contracted first position (FIG. 8) andthe contracted second position (FIG. 9) to better attract fish. Forinstance, the overall length of the contracting fishing lure (10) in thenon-contracted first position may decrease 25-75% as it transitions tothe contracted second position. Thus, the overall length of thecontracting fishing lure (10) in the contracted second position may be25-75% less than the overall length of the contracting fishing lure (10)in the non-contracted first position. This significant difference inoverall length of the contracting fishing lure (10) between thenon-contracted first position and the contracted second position maycause the flexible ridges (24) to touch and the valleys (32) todisappear. A further example of this significant difference in overalllength may be demonstrated by the location of the means of attachment(17) for the fishing line (28) to the fishing hook (30). As illustratedin FIG. 8, the means for attachment (17) is located towards the tail endof body portion (14) while the contracting fishing lure (10) is in thenon-contracted first position. However, as illustrated in FIG. 9, themeans for attachment (17) extends further into and towards the middle ofbody portion (14) while the contracting fishing lure (10) is in thecontracted second position. This notable location change for the meansof attachment (17) further demonstrates the significant difference inoverall length of the fishing lure (10) between the non-contracted firstposition and the contracted second position. The series of flexibleridges (24) and valleys (32) are important to the design of thecontracting fishing lure (10) of the present invention by creating anaccordion-like movement that maximizes the size of contraction andcauses the contracting fishing lure (10) to significantly decrease inoverall length to better attract fish. The contraction is magnified bythe increased resistance exerted by the cup, bowl, or flat-shaped headportion (12) against the water as the fishing lure is retrieved orjigged by an angler.

FIG. 10 illustrates a non-expanded view of yet another aspect of thepresent invention, an expanding fishing lure (40). The expanding fishinglure (40) has a head portion (42), a body portion (44), and a tailportion (46). The head portion (42) may be rounded in shape, flat,tapered to a point, bullet-shaped, and/or resemble a particular fishprey. The head portion (42) may comprise a sinker, a weight, or alight-weight material that floats (e.g., plastic, wood, etc.). The headportion (42) may further comprise a spinner, a bill, a lip, and/or abib. The head portion (42) includes an opening (56) extending throughthe head portion (42). The head portion (42) may reside adjacent thebody portion (44), wherein the head portion (42) and body portion (44)may be separate or integral. Moreover, the head portion (12) may moveindependently from the body portion (14).

As further shown in FIG. 10, the body portion (44) has a first open end(58) and an opposite second open end (60) exiting into the adjacent tailportion (46). The opening (56) in the head portion (42) may be alignedwith the first open end (58) of the body portion (44). A channel (62)extends longitudinally through the first open end (58) to the secondopen end (60) of the body portion (44). The channel (62) is configuredfor water to flow into the first open end (58) of the body portion (44),continue through the body portion (44), and exit the second open end(60) into the tail portion (46). The body portion (44) may be acontinuous hollow tube, wherein the tubular design is not limited to acircle diameter but may comprise diametrical shapes such as a square,oval, pentagon, octagon, or others. The body portion (44) may becomprised of elastic material and may have a series of flexible ridges(64) and valleys (66) extending around the body portion (44), resemblingan accordion and/or caterpillar.

The tail portion (46) may be cup-shaped, bowl-shaped, or flat-shaped. Adiameter of the tail portion (46) may be up to ten times larger than adiameter of the body portion (44) to increase water resistance as thefishing lure is drawn through water. The tail portion (46) may also bethe same diameter as the body portion or smaller in diameter than thebody portion. The tail portion (46) may also be strengthened to includereinforcing ribs, thick walls, and/or rigid or semi-rigid materials (notshown). Additionally, the tail portion (46) may include tentacles, asickle, a plurality of segments, a fin or a plurality of fins, aplurality of elongated streamers forming a skirt, a plurality of legs, aplurality of claws, a plurality of antennas, a tail, any combination ofthe foregoing, and/or other types of appendages that resemble fish preycommonly used in the industry.

As illustrated in FIGS. 11-12, the expanding fishing lure (40) of thepresent invention may include a stop (48), a swivel (50), a firstfishing line (52), and a second fishing line (54). The first fishingline (52) or lead line is attached to the swivel (50), wherein theswivel (50) may comprise at least two rings connected by a pivotingjoint. The swivel (50) may be of the kind standardly used in the fishingindustry, such as power swivels, barrel swivels, brass swivels, snapswivels, ball-bearing swivels, or any combination of the foregoing. Itis contemplated that other configurations equivalent to a swivel couldalso be used in the present invention. Thus, the term “swivel” mayincorporate equivalents such as a ring, a bent wire with rings at eachend, and other configurations typically used in the industry. The stop(48) may be integrally formed with the swivel (50), incorporated as aseparate piece, or integrally formed with the head portion (42).

FIG. 11 illustrates an expanding fishing lure (40) of the presentinvention that may be used for topwater fishing. A portion of the swivel(50) may extend through a hole in the stop (48) and outside the headportion (42) through opening (56) wherein it attaches to the firstfishing line (52). The stop (48) resides inside the head portion (42)and may be a thin washer and/or shaped to fit inside the head portion(42). The stop (48) may also be comprised of a lightweight, rigidmaterial such as plastic, aluminum, wood, or metal. The stop (48)prevents the swivel (50) from being pulled completely through opening(56) of the head portion (42) as an angler is casting and/or retrievingthe expanding fishing lure (40).

FIG. 12 illustrates an expanding fishing lure (40) of the presentinvention that may be used for midwater or bottom fishing. The swivel(50) may reside inside the head portion (42) and/or body portion (44),wherein it attaches to the first fishing line (52) through a hole in thestop (48) and the opening (56) of the head portion (42). The swivel (50)resides adjacent the stop (48), wherein the stop (48) may include arecess (66) that allows the swivel (50) to rotate freely against thestop (48) and further provide room for a knot in the fishing line,attaching the fishing line to the swivel, to prevent abrasion. The stop(48) may be comprised of a sinker or weight of heavy metal or plastic tofacilitate midwater or bottom fishing. Alternatively, the stop (48) maycomprise a light-weight material that floats (e.g. plastic, wood, etc.)wherein the expanding fishing lure (40) acts as a topwater fishing lure.The stop (48) may be rounded in shape, flat, tapered to a point,bullet-shaped, and/or resemble a particular fish prey. The stop (48) mayinclude a groove (70) extending around the stop to assist in securingand sealing the opening (56) of the head portion (42) around the stop(48). The opening (56) of the head portion (42) may be smaller indiameter than a diameter of the stop (48). The smaller diameter allowsthe opening (56) of the head portion (42) to fit tightly around the stop(48) via the groove (70) for a secure fit and seal. The stop (48)prevents the swivel (50) from being pulled completely through opening(56) of the head portion (42) as an angler is casting and/or retrievingthe expanding fishing lure (40).

As illustrated in FIGS. 10-13, the second fishing line (54) is connectedto the swivel (50) opposite the first fishing line (52). The secondfishing line (54) continues through channel (62), second open end (20)of the body portion (14), and extends beyond the tail portion (46) whereit is attached to a fishing hook (72) via a means of attachment (74)(e.g., by a fishing knot, ring, snap, or other means of attaching afishing hook commonly used in the fishing industry). The fishing hook(72) may be a single, double, treble, or quad hook(s). The fishing hook(72) may extend outside a diameter of the body portion (44) oralternatively be concealed by the tail portion (46) so that the fishinglure (40) appears more life-like. The expanding fishing lure (40) mayfurther act as a weedless lure by embedding barbs of the fishing hook(72) into the body portion (44). The fishing hook (72) may also beweighted to assist in vertical jigging. A person skilled in the art willrecognize that various sizes of body portions, weights, and hooks may befabricated and utilized for different types and sizes of fish.

Looking at FIGS. 10 and 13, the fishing lure (40) is configured so thatwhen it is cast and retrieved (e.g., reeled in) by an angler, the headportion (42) leads and water flows through the channel (62) of the bodyportion (44) in a direction opposite to the direction in which thefishing (40) lure travels through the water. While lying in the waterand the first fishing line (52) is slack, the fishing lure (40) assumesa non-expanded first position as depicted in FIG. 10. While movingthrough the water after tension or force has been placed on the firstfishing line (52) (e.g., the fishing lure (40) is reeled in by theangler, or the first fishing line (52) is pulled, twitched, jerked, oryanked), the fishing lure (40) transitions to an expanded secondposition where the series of flexible ridges (64) and valleys (66)expand, as illustrated in FIG. 13. When the first fishing line (52)becomes slack once again, the fishing lure (40) returns to thenon-expanded first position as depicted in FIG. 10, thus, mimicking thenatural movement of live bait to attract fish. Because the fishing lure(40) fills with water as it enters the water, water rushes in and out ofthe fishing lure (40) via the transition from the contracted firstposition to the expanded second position and back to the contractedfirst position. The expanding fishing lure (40) attracts fish bytransitioning from the non-expanded first position to the expandedsecond position before a fish bites or strikes the expanding fishinglure (40), although the fish may bite or strike the contracting fishinglure (10) at any time. The fishing lure (40) of the present inventionmay also be retrieved in a “walk the dog” fashion which would cause adarting side-to-side action.

There is a significant difference in overall length of the expandingfishing lure (40) between the non-expanded first position (FIG. 10) andthe expanded second position (FIG. 13) to better attract fish. Forinstance, the overall length of the expanding fishing lure (40) in thenon-expanded first position may increase 25-75% as it transitions to theexpanded second position. Thus, the overall length of the expandingfishing lure (40) in the expanded second position may be 25-75% greaterthan the overall length of the expanding fishing lure (40) in thenon-expanded first position. An example of this significant differencemay be demonstrated by the location of the means of attachment (74) forthe second fishing line (54) to the fishing hook (72). As illustrated inFIG. 10, the means for attachment (74) may extend further into andtowards the middle of body portion (44) while the expanding fishing lure(40) is in the non-expanded first position. However, as illustrated inFIG. 13, the means for attachment (74) is located towards the tail endof body portion (44) while the expanding fishing lure (40) is in theexpanded second position. This notable location change for the means ofattachment (74) further demonstrates the significant difference inoverall length of the fishing lure (40) between the non-expanded firstposition and the expanded second position. The series of flexible ridges(64) and valleys (66) are important to the design of the expandingfishing lure (40) of the present invention by creating an accordion-likemovement that maximizes the size of expansion and causes the expandingfishing lure (40) to significantly increase in overall length to betterattract fish. The expansion is magnified by the increased resistanceexerted by the cup, bowl, or flat-shaped tail portion (46) against thewater as the fishing lure is retrieved or jigged by an angler.

With regard to all aspects of the present invention, the body portion(14, 44) and tail portion (16, 46) may be formed separately orintegrally from a non-toxic, silicone, rubber, and/or plastic material,such as a vinyl plastisol (polyvinyl chloride) dispersion grade resin ina suitable solvent or plasticizer. The plastic material may be hardand/or soft, flexible, non-transparent, partially transparent,completely transparent, contain various colors, patterns, and/ormetallic flakes. The plastic material may also be of varying thicknessesthroughout the fishing lure (10, 40). The plastic material at the ridges(24, 64) and valleys (32, 66) may be thinner as compared to the plasticmaterial forming the rest of the contracting or expanding fishing lure(10, 40). Thus, the thinner plastic material at the ridges (24, 64) andvalleys (32, 66) increases flexibility in these areas and assists inenabling the fishing lure (10) to contract to mimic the natural movementof live bait. It is contemplated that the body portion (14, 44) may becontinuous. In the present invention “continuous” means: unbrokenwithout gaps or breaks in body portion (14, 44) as the fishing lure (10,40) contracts or expands from the first position to the second position.Moreover, fragrances (e.g., cod liver oil, fish oil, fish attractanttablets, and gel scents) may be incorporated and/or applied to thefishing lure of the present invention to further attract fish.

According to a further aspect of the present invention a method offishing using an expanding or contracting fishing lure is provided. Themethod includes providing a fishing rod and reel. The method furtherincludes providing a fishing line with a first end attached to the rodand reel and an opposite free second end. The method further includesproviding an aspect of the fishing lure as explained previously withrespect to FIGS. 1-13. As shown in FIG. 14, the method further comprisesproviding a stringing tool (76), wherein the stringing tool (76)includes a handle (78) at one end and a loop (80) at an opposite end.The stringing tool (76) is comprised of a thin piece of metal or plasticthat is longer in length than the expanding or contracting fishing lureof the present invention. The loop (80) may be formed by bending one endof the thin piece of metal or plastic over, or punching a hole in thethin piece of metal or plastic. An angler may thread the fishing linethrough the loop (80) and use the handle (78) to push or pull thefishing line through the channel (22, 62) of the fishing lure to attachit to the hook or to the swivel. The free second end of the fishing lineis then attached to the fishing lure as illustrated in FIGS. 1-13. Themethod next involves placing the fishing lure into a body of water byuse of casting with a fishing rod and reel, or dropping the fishing lureinto the water for jigging. An angler retrieves or jigs the fishing lurein a manner so that the fishing lure contracts or expands to mimic theappearance of live bait to attract fish. This manner may include reelingin the fishing line, or pulling, twitching, jerking, or yanking thefishing line. The angler continually retrieves and casts, or jigs, thefishing lure until the desired number of fish have been caught.Additional steps may also be incorporated into the method such asapplying or incorporating fragrances (e.g., cod liver oil, fish oil,fish attractant tablets, and gel scents) to the fishing lure to furtherattract fish.

The expanding or contracting fishing lure of the present invention andmethod of fishing using the fishing lure are universally applicable tofishing rods and reels of all shapes and sizes, makes, models, andmanufacturers. Furthermore, while intended for large and smallmouth bassand northern pike, the expanding or contracting fishing lure of thepresent invention may be used for fishing all manner of freshwater andsaltwater fish. Although the invention has been described andillustrated with respect to preferred aspects thereof, it is not to beso limited since changes and modifications may be made therein which arewithin the full intended scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. An expanding fishing lure, comprising: acontinuous body portion, wherein the body portion comprises a first openend and an opposite second open end; a head portion, wherein the headportion is adjacent the first open end of the body portion; a channelextending longitudinally through the body portion; a series of flexibleridges and valleys extending around the body portion; a tail portionadjacent the second open end of the body portion and opposite the headportion; a swivel; a stop; a first fishing line; a second fishing line;a fishing hook; a non-expanded first position, wherein the body portionis in the non-expanded first position in water when the first fishingline is slack; an expanded second position, wherein the body portion isin the expanded second position under action of water resistance as theexpanding fishing lure is drawn through the water; and a significantdifference in overall length of the expanding fishing lure while theexpanding fishing lure is in the water between the non-expanded firstposition when the first fishing line is slack and the expanded secondposition under action of the water resistance as the expanding fishinglure is drawn through the water to attract the attention of fish;wherein the first fishing line is attached to the swivel; wherein thesecond fishing line is attached to the swivel opposite the first fishingline; wherein the second fishing line is drawn through the channelextending longitudinally through the body portion, continued through thetail portion, and attached to the fishing hook via a means ofattachment; the means of attachment directly attaching the fishing hookto the second fishing line; wherein the stop prevents the swivel frombeing pulled completely through an opening in the head portion as anangler is casting or retrieving the expanding fishing lure; wherein theexpanding fishing lure transitions from the non-expanded first positionto the expanded second position and back to the non-expanded firstposition to mimic the appearance of live bait to attract fish.
 2. Theexpanding fishing lure of claim 1, wherein the tail portion includes aflat, cup or bowl-shape to increase water resistance as the expandingfishing lure is drawn through the water.
 3. The expanding fishing lureof claim 2, wherein an open end of the cup or bowl-shape of the tailportion is forward facing.
 4. The expanding fishing lure of claim 2,wherein the significant difference in overall length is magnified by theincreased water resistance exerted by the flat, cup or bowl-shape of thetail portion against the water as the expanding fishing lure is drawnthrough the water.
 5. The expanding fishing lure of claim 1, furthercomprising: a portion of the swivel extending through an opening in thestop and the opening of the head portion wherein the portion of theswivel is attached to the first fishing line; wherein the stop residesinside the head portion.
 6. The expanding fishing lure of claim 1,further comprising: a recess in the stop; and a groove extending aroundthe stop; wherein the opening in the head portion may be smaller indiameter than a diameter of the stop; wherein the opening of the headportion fits tightly around the stop via the groove for a secure fit;wherein the swivel resides inside the head portion and/or the bodyportion; wherein the swivel resides adjacent the recess in the stop,further wherein the recess allows the swivel to rotate freely againstthe stop.
 7. The expanding fishing lure of claim 1, wherein the means ofattachment comprises a knot, ring, link or clip.
 8. The expandingfishing lure of claim 1, wherein the overall length of the expandingfishing lure in the non-expanded first position is 25-75% less than theoverall length of the expanding fishing lure in the expanded secondposition.
 9. The expanding fishing lure of claim 1, wherein a diameterof the flat, cup or bowl-shape of the tail portion is the same size as adiameter of the body portion.
 10. The expanding fishing lure of claim 1,wherein the flat, cup or bowl-shape of the tail portion includesreinforcing ribs to strengthen the tail portion against increased waterresistance as the expanding fishing lure is drawn through the water. 11.The expanding fishing lure of claim 5, wherein the expanding fishinglure is configured to act as a topwater lure.
 12. The expanding fishinglure of claim 11, wherein the stop comprises a lightweight material thatfloats.
 13. The expanding fishing lure of claim 6, wherein the expandingfishing lure is configured to act as a bottom lure or a midwater lure.14. The expanding fishing lure of claim 13, wherein the stop comprises asinker or weight.
 15. The expanding fishing lure of claim 1, wherein thetail portion is integrally formed with the body portion.
 16. Theexpanding fishing lure of claim 1, wherein the flat, cup or bowl-shapeis integrally formed with the tail portion.
 17. The expanding fishinglure of claim 1, wherein the fishing hook is concealed to act as aweedless lure.
 18. An expanding fishing lure, comprising: a continuousbody portion, wherein the body portion comprises a first open end and anopposite second open end; a head portion, wherein the head portion isadjacent the first open end of the body portion; a channel extendinglongitudinally through the body portion; a series of flexible ridges andvalleys extending around the body portion; a tail portion adjacent thesecond open end of the body portion and opposite the head portion; thetail portion including a flat, cup or bowl-shape to increase waterresistance as the expanding fishing lure is drawn through the water; aswivel; a stop; a first fishing line; a second fishing line; a fishinghook; a non-expanded first position, wherein the body portion is in thenon-expanded first position in water when the first fishing line isslack; an expanded second position, wherein the body portion is in theexpanded second position under action of water resistance as theexpanding fishing lure is drawn through the water; and a significantdifference in overall length of the expanding fishing lure while theexpanding fishing lure is in the water between the non-expanded firstposition when the first fishing line is slack and the expanded secondposition under action of the water resistance as the expanding fishinglure is drawn through the water to attract the attention of fish;wherein the significant difference in overall length is magnified by theincreased water resistance exerted by the flat, cup or bowl-shape of thetail portion against the water as the expanding fishing lure is drawnthrough the water; wherein the first fishing line is attached to theswivel; wherein the second fishing line is attached to the swivelopposite the first fishing line; wherein the second fishing line isdrawn through the channel extending longitudinally through the bodyportion, continued through the tail portion, and attached to the fishinghook via a means of attachment; the means of attachment directlyattaching the fishing hook to the second fishing line; wherein the meansof attachment comprises a knot, ring, link or clip; wherein the stopprevents the swivel from being pulled completely through an opening inthe head portion as an angler is casting or retrieving the expandingfishing lure; wherein the means of attaching the second fishing line tothe fishing hook extends further into and towards a middle of the bodyportion while in the non-expanded first position and is located towardsa tail end of the body portion while in the expanded second position;wherein the expanding fishing lure transitions from the non-expandedfirst position to the expanded second position and back to thenon-expanded first position to mimic the appearance of live bait toattract fish.
 19. A method of fishing using the expanding fishing lureof claim 1, comprising: providing a fishing rod; providing a fishingline with a first end attached to the fishing rod and a free second end;providing the expanding fishing lure of claim 1; providing a stringingtool; attaching the free second end of the first fishing line to theexpanding fishing lure using the stringing tool; placing the expandingfishing lure into water; and retrieving the expanding fishing lure in amanner so that when the fishing line is retrieved the expanding fishinglure transitions from the non-expanded first position to the expandedsecond position and back to the non-expanded first position to mimic theappearance of live bait to attract fish.
 20. The method of fishing ofclaim 19, further comprising dropping the expanding fishing lure intothe water and jigging the expanding fishing lure to attract fish.